


"If Only I Could"

by Jiemme



Category: Miraculous Ladybug
Genre: Angst, F/M, Inside Out Au, More characters to come
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-12-12
Updated: 2016-06-03
Packaged: 2018-05-06 07:50:22
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 7
Words: 10,129
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5408831
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Jiemme/pseuds/Jiemme
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Imaginary Boyfriend No. 23 is different from the rest of the replicas from Imagination Land. The others blandly raise their fists and declare, “I would die for Marinette!”, but he decides to leave Imagination Land and whisper to himself, “If only I could live for Marinette.”</p><p>[Inside Out AU where Imaginary Boyfriend No. 23 has the exact likeness of Adrien Agreste]</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> A friend of mine and I discussed about AUs for ML, and this one was one of them. The concept of imaginary boyfriends and Imagination Land isn't explored much in the movie itself so... here I am tweaking it to help Imaginary Boyfriend!Adrien with his short adventure.
> 
> Disclaimer: I don't own Miraculous Ladybug.

_Marinette…_

Imaginary Boyfriend No. 23 is born from the Imaginary Boyfriend Generator on Marinette’s 51st day of being a 12-year old. He blinks his eyes of color emerald and finds a giant black basket below the edge of the machine’s conveyor. If the conveyor belt had still been moving, he probably will find himself in the same basket with figures who look almost exactly like him.

Almost, because some of them have varying shades of green eyes and different degrees of messy hair. He assumes his hair is golden cornflour blond, similar with the rest. _I have to find a mirror,_ he thinks, and he hops off the conveyor to ask where the nearest mirror is.

“Um, excuse me,” he starts, tapping the shoulder of a teal bean-shaped Mind Worker with afro hair below a beret. The worker turns around and scowls.

“I knew I should’ve had this machine repaired. You’re malfunctioning!” he snaps. No. 23 slowly backs away as the worker continues growling to himself. “It’s just a screw loose, they say. Pah! I’ve already rejected 14 mishaps and they still won’t fix this darn machine!”

His eyebrows crease together. How is he malfunctioning? He feels… normal, to say the least. He is aware of what he is and his purpose. He knows what Mind Workers are. He knows he’s in Imagination Land of a girl with jet-black hair and heavenly baby blue eyes. What he doesn’t know is where exactly he can find a mirror.

“Excuse me,” he says, moving closer to the worker. “I’m not malfunctioning.”

The worker grunts, kicking the control board of the generator. “You might as well be. You didn’t say, ‘I would die for Marinette,’ when you came out.”

The questions in his head keep piling up even more. “I… was thinking it,” he lies. He doesn’t want to be dumped immediately into the reject basket.

“Hm. Do you feel strongly for Marinette?” the worker asks, its pencil-thin eyebrow rising.

“Yes,” he replies, flashing a small but genuine smile. Marinette is the first thought in his mind before he opened his eyes. “Her name is beautiful.”

The worker’s worries seem pacified for now, as he gestures No. 23 to shoo. “I won’t dispose of you for now. It seems like your only flop is your way of expressing your love for her.”

He nods, wondering how long exactly he has before the next Imaginary Boyfriend is generated. He glances at the giant flipped boards to have an idea of how he looks like in cartoon version, but eventually decides a mirror is better.

“Um, anyway, do you know where I could find a mirror?” he asks.

“Find a nearby pond or something, kid,” the worker replies. Even with his back turned, he made an effort to shoo him with a gesture. “It’s Marinette’s Imagination Land; you’re bound to find a mirror in Fashion Field.”

* * *

Fashion Field is the Imaginary Land microcosm of Marinette’s Fashion Island created by her core memories. No. 23 moves through the pink tiled streets of the area, watching pastel-colored cotton candy-like clouds float high in the light pink sky. He chuckles to himself – he knows he will never meet Marinette in person, but at least he gets to know her more as he moves around in her mind. Little girls (imaginary, of course) giggle and sprint around in cute dresses while teenagers and adults walk in and out of a large building at the center of the area, wearing trendy clothes all designed by Marinette.

No. 23 knows this, of course, since there are towering billboards of Marinette’s drawings which resembled their outfits. Her signature is found below each neatly outlined and colored drawing, slender with cursive loops.

He walks past the crowded walkway, noticing more people are being added to the backdrop. He finds a large water fountain with a white marble basin and sits at the edge, still wondering why there is a sudden influx of people.

“They’re recording another daydream for Marinette, I see…” he hears a voice say. The voice is soft and high-pitched, calming and sad at the same time. He turns his head to the right to see a little red figure with a large black dot on its head floating above the basin.

“Another daydream?” he asks. He isn’t familiar with everything going on in Marinette’s mind despite his inborn knowledge of Imagination Land. The little red figure zooms closer to him and smiles.

“You’re an Imaginary Boyfriend, aren’t you?” it squeaks. “You must be looking for a mirror.”

He laughs. “Is it obvious?”

The red figure shakes its head. “I’ve met three Imaginary Boyfriends for the past months and they all wandered around this place to find a mirror,” she (he’s assuming it’s a girl) reassured. “I’m Tikki.”

“I’m… Imaginary Boyfriend No. 23,” he replies, extending his hand. Tikki shakes it back.

“That’s a very long name,” Tikki says. “Can I give you a nickname?”

Anything is better than Imaginary Boyfriend No. 23. “Of course! I’d be honored.”

Tikki slowly descends onto his dark blue jeans, tapping her tiny little chin like an adorable pet. “A. I’ll call you A. If you’re going to ask, it’s because it’s the letter on your sweater.”

He double checks his sweater and saw a tiny A embroidered at the upper left. Tikki returns her attention to the imaginary crowd buzzing with excitement. “One of Marinette’s teachers is boring, you see,” Tikki starts. “So Headquarters agreed on producing more daydreams to help her pass the day and strengthen her passion for fashion.”

He smiles at the rhyme and the new fact. He listens to more of Tikki’s stories, the thought of looking for a mirror moving to the bottom of his priority list. Tikki tells him that she’s Marinette’s imaginary friend back when she was still a toddler. They spent time having adventures saving France as superheroine Ladybug, a courageous and confident little girl that Marinette transforms to when Tikki powered up her precious black earrings. Unfortunately, Tikki’s time with Marinette had lessened while she grew up.

“She calls me a kwami,” Tikki has said. “Marinette’s a really imaginative child, you know? Fashion Field is the biggest area in Imagination Land but the other areas are still really big.”

“Where’s your favorite place to hang out it?” A asks. He scoops Tikki up onto his palms and starts walking away from Fashion Field. The kwami giggles in excitement.

“Me? I… stay often in Long Term Memory. I may sound clingy but… I like reminiscing about the days I spent with Marinette. And I really care about her. News from Headquarters travel slowly nowadays. New memories are the only ways I stay updated on her.”

A shakes his head. “You have the right to cling on. You are her best friend as a child,” he says, trying to sound cheerful.

“Thank you,” Tikki says. “I like you. You’re the first Imaginary Boyfriend who doesn’t take selfies out of impulse.”

“I don’t think I even have a phone,” he mumbles, rummaging his pockets. Maybe this is the glitch of the generator. He knows he’s normal in Imaginary Boyfriend standards compared to the past misfits. He knows this, he believes this. The worker allowed him to roam around, after all.

Tikki must have noticed him getting worried. “Hey, A? If something’s bothering you, you can tell me, okay?” she smiles. "From now on, we're companions!"


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A learns more about Marinette and his issues of being an Imaginary Boyfriend.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm so sorry for not updating sooner! I was supposed to update this at an earlier date but I had to go through days of enrollment for my next semester. 
> 
> Thank you to everyone who read this fic and left kudos and a comment! :D I hope you enjoy this next chapter despite the shifts between angst and happy feels. Also, Marinette lives in Marseille (another city in France) for reasons. It's an AU. XD

Tikki says A is a brilliant actor, since he always delivers his lines very well whenever the Mind Workers shoot a daydream with him. She keeps telling him, “I’m sure Marinette would swoon when she’s daydreaming about you!” But as much as A likes hearing his new companion’s cheers, he feels discomfort churn in his gut. It’s nice to know that Marinette will definitely daydream about him… but that’s just about it. She won’t look for him because... he is just imaginary.

They return to Imagination Land to visit the Imaginary Boyfriend Generator one day, and they find other Mind Workers exchanging stories with lively voices around the teal, bean-shaped worker manning the machine. They giggle and laugh, praising A for being such an amazing imaginary boyfriend. The boy, meanwhile, sees the disgruntled look on the teal worker’s face.

“Yeah, yeah, he’s great and all, but I still want this machine fixed!” the worker screeches. All the other workers stop talking and glance at each other for a few moments. One of them – a pink and round Mind Worker – breaks the suffocating silence by laughing in the teal worker’s face.

“You finally created the perfect imaginary boyfriend and you’re still not satisfied?” the pink one asks with a smug grin. The other worker scoffs and pokes the pink one on the joint connecting its arm with its body.

“Perfect? That boy didn’t even pass the first test!” he retorts.

Tikki glances at A and notices the creases on the boy’s forehead.

“If he didn’t pass the first test, why didn’t you reject him?” the pink one snaps back. The worker falls silent and faces away from them.

“Y’know, whatever. My job is to press buttons. Quality control is beyond my control now,” the worker huffs. “How many copies of No. 23 do you want?”

A and Tikki, who are hiding behind conveniently-placed bushes, watch as the worker starts pushing buttons. The generator shows a cartoonish preview in the likeness of A, exactly as that he has seen before. Tikki flies upward slowly out of curiosity and wonder. “I’ve never seen how they made Imaginary Boyfriends before, you know,” she says to A. A, meanwhile, frowns. Imaginary Boyfriend or not, he doesn’t want to be duplicated just like that.

_I knew I should’ve had this machine repaired. You’re malfunctioning!_

A turns his back from the view and hugs his knees. Something within him is aching, and he doesn’t understand why. He isn’t malfunctioning. He loves Marinette, and that’s what he’s made for. It doesn’t matter whether he feels disdain that Marinette’s daydreams will soon be conquered by other Imaginary Boyfriends that resemble him. Who cares if he doesn’t want other Imaginary Boyfriends to look like him?

_You’re malfunctioning!_

A closes his eyes and buries his head underneath his arms.

Isn’t it normal for an Imaginary Boyfriend to want… to wish to become his own individual? To become real?

_Perfect? That boy didn’t even pass the first test!_

“A, are you okay?”

Tikki’s voice brings A back from deeper pondering. Her little eyebrows knit together as she flies onto his shoulder. A gives her a weak, but assuring smile. I’m fine, he wants to say, but the words don’t roll off his tongue. Instead, he pats Tikki’s head gently and stands up, knowing that Tikki’s interested to see how the machine works.

A dozen replicas of A in different outfits are revealed as the conveyor belt moves them forward. All of them raise their fists and proclaim, “I would die for Marinette!”

A’s fist clutches his shirt instead. Tikki notices.

* * *

Ever since A and Tikki met, they started rummaging through the new batch of memories delivered to Marinette’s Long Term Memory. Tikki excitedly convinces A to watch them with her, often asking him to catch the memory balls found she grabs from the top of the shelf. He easily catches them, and they lean on the giant shelf of memories while the memory plays.

Through her memories, A meets Marinette’s parents. Both are very charming and big-hearted, as seen through their never-ending support for their daughter. They teach her kindness and baking, encourage her in her artistic pursuits, and indulge her with many happy moments. He learns about Juleka, Marinette’s best friend in Marseille. They both enjoy fashion despite their different styles. He also learns about Alya, Marinette’s pen pal from Paris. Even though they have met through letters (and upgraded to texts and emails), the two girls are also very best friends.

He watches with Tikki, a smile on his face. Memories of Juleka experimenting with make-up with Marinette; Marinette sitting alone at a park, observing for fashion statements; Marinette staying up all night to video call with Alya, sharing stories about Marinette’s dream to go to Paris and Alya’s adventures with her childhood friend, Nino; Marinette and her mother decorating a wedding cake for a family friend; Marinette and her father playing videogames competitively with each other; Marinette doodling during Math classes. The list goes on.

Most of her memories are filled with joy, with thanks to Marinette’s cheerfulness. A is more than happy because of this. Although there are times Marinette faces trouble due to innate clumsiness and starts doubting herself, her eventual confidence from her optimism shines through.

He notices that the main emotion found least in her Long Term Memory is Disgust. From the rumors he has heard from other Mind Workers, Disgust often quarrels with the other Emotions, but Joy pacifies the situations before Anger can respond. Marinette often shows disgust towards bullies, mismatched outfits, and horribly cooked dishes. And while the girl is willing to stand up for other students against bullies (but often gets pulled back by Juleka to avoid harm), she keeps quiet to avoid conflicts.

Today, they find a new memory. It has Marinette and Juleka eating the macarons the former baked the previous night. Since it’s her first time to make the delicacy, she decides that her best friend may be a great judge for these, apart from her parents.

“What do you think?” Marinette asks in the memory. The girl watches Juleka take a bite, her eyes slowly darting upwards with a thoughtful look on her face. The girl brushes locks of her hair with blue highlights away from her eyes before she returns her attention to Marinette.

“You have to make more of these,” Juleka answers simply, giving Marinette a small smile. From what A has observed in previous memories, Juleka is somewhat taciturn and doesn't wear her emotions on her sleeve. But the small smile turns into a grin, and A sees how much Juleka appreciates Marinette.

Marinette laughs and takes a macaron from the lunchbox she has brought. A places a shaky hand on his chest. It's his second week of existing in Marinette’s Imagination Land, but it's only now that he hears her sweetest giggle.

“Her laugh sounds so cute,” he murmers. Tikki smiles and flies in front of his face.

“Of course!” she tells him. “Marinette is a real cutie.”

A nods, remembering the memories he saw of Marinette making silly faces in front of the mirror after trying on light make-up or memories of Marinette fixing her hair before running downstairs for school.

He sighs. “Tikki… is it wrong that I really feel strongly for Marinette?”

The kwami raises a brow. “Of course not. You’re an Imaginary Boyfriend, A. That’s your inborn trait.”

He shakes his head. “No, Tikki. I know you know what I mean,” he answers back. “I know you’re worried about me ever since they began making more of me-I mean, more Imaginary Boyfriends that look like me.”

Tikki slowly floats down and sits on A’s knee. “A… it’s normal for you to love Marinette. What makes you think that what you’re feeling is wrong?” she asks. A dissects the real tone under the facade of her calm voice.

“All of them keep saying they would die for her,” he begins. He closes his eyes and bows his head. Tikki will understand him, right? “Tikki… I know you heard that Mind Worker. How he said I didn’t pass the first test.”

Tikki nods, giving him an empathetic smile. “You heard the other workers. You’re perfect. The first test doesn’t matter.”

He sighs, eyes still closed. “The first test is for us to say we would die for Marinette. Tikki… I never said it. I couldn’t. My first thought was Marinette... her name and her face. And my second was… if only I could live for her.”

* * *

A month later, A hears a rumor spread by Mind Workers. A rumor about Marinette bumping into a tall boy with neat, blond hair, and blue gray eyes while rushing to class.

His name is Felix, and Marinette has a crush on him.


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A copes with a lot of feelings and gets saved by Tikki again.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the long time to update! Back in school and all that. I'll do my best to update regularly :) Thank you to everyone who reads and follows this fic! You guys are awesome!!! I hope you like this next chapter despite the feels you might get. :3
> 
> Warning: Felix.

_“Oh, Alya! I just met the dreamiest boy in school today!”_

_Marinette sighed dreamily, closing her eyes as she remembered the events that unfolded that morning. She wasn’t supposed to be late for school earlier, but her alarm clock decided to doze off just like her. She woke up forty minutes before her first class, and she had to cram her showering and chase after her school bus when it began leaving while she was still tucking her feet in her shoes._

_It could have been a faster journey, but traffic suddenly decided to grace its presence in the streets of Marseille. She arrived five minutes before her class started, prompting her to run in the hallway despite the rule against it. She did NOT want to miss Ms. Fabre’s short quiz._

_Marinette was screaming internally, cursing her bad luck today as she tried to catch her breath while running. She took a quick turn around the corner and immediately collided with another figure and fell on her backside, her pink backpack plopping loudly on the floor. “Ow!” she yelled, but her limited time forced her to grab her backpack instead of apologizing to the person she bumped._

_Lady luck, she decided, could be generous to her sometimes._

_A hand was outstretched in front of her, and Marinette’s eyes locked with his._

_He had eyes of baby blue swirled with dusty gray that held a steely glance at her. His hair was pale wheat blond, neatly pushed back and long. Although adorned in black and gray hues, Marinette saw him in a light so bright…_

_…it had to be love in first sight._

_Biting her lip in anxiousness, she took his hand and felt his other hand on her shoulder. She could feel the warmth of his touch over her shirt as he helped her onto her feet again. Her eyes were still on him, but the boy was already looking away._

_“U-um!” she stammered. The boy’s eyes returned to her, and Marinette indulged in the features of his face, from his sharp jawline to his lovely cheekbones._

_“Yes?” he asked. His voice was deep._

_“T-thank you f-for… for helping me! A-and I’m sorry for bumping into you!” she said in a loud voice. Marinette knew she was blushing madly at that very moment – her loud voice and broken sentences only featured themselves in a combination when she was nervous._

_The boy blinked, his eyes turning wider, then nodded. “It’s nothing. I’m sorry as well.”_

_Marinette couldn’t find her will to run. “I-I’m M-Marinette!” she added, feet glued to where she stood while the boy was slowly walking away._

_He turned around, thankfully. “Felix. It’s a pleasure.”_

_Felix turned by his heel and left, opposite of where Marinette was headed to. The girl shook her head and sprinted again, the adrenaline rush she felt fueled by something else entirely._

_“His name is Felix,” she thought in a looping mantra. Her lips curled into a smile, then into a grin._

_He was handsome._

_“Earth to Marinette!”_

_The girl opened her eyes and giggled, surprised at how quick it was for her to forget she was having a video call with Alya._

_“I’m sorry, Alya. I just… Felix is just…”_

_Alya laughed instead. “Girl, I understand. You’ve been bitten by the love bug!”_

_Marinette squeals in delight. “I was, wasn’t I? Oh, Alya, this is the first time I actually have a crush on a boy! I mean, I’ve met cute boys before, but-“_

_“I know, I know. He’s the most handsome guy you have ever seen?” Alya continued with wiggling eyebrows. “Do you know if he’s a year older than you?”_

_“Juleka told me he’s just our age! He’s so tall for his age… but at least he’s tall!” Marinette sighed, hugging her pillow closer to her. “We’re height compatible!”_

_Alya snorted. “Girl, I can’t believe you’re this giddy. How’d Juleka react?”_

_Marinette smiled in return. “Why don’t you ask her yourself? She’s going online now! Three-way video call, alright?”_

_Alya raised a thumb up. “Definitely.”_

* * *

 

A almost drops the memory ball, but he keeps his composure to avoid worrying Tikki. The kwami, meanwhile, looks at him with big beady eyes. He gives her a soft smile that hides the traces of pain he feels. It relieves him to see Tikki reply with a wide smile.

She has said he’s a good actor, after all.

* * *

 

“We have to dispose of them all. Throw them in the Memory Dump or something.”

A’s throat goes dry as he stands amongst many Imaginary Boyfriends that share his likeness. That morning, he woke up in surprise as Mind Workers grabbed him before he could call out to Tikki. Forced in a line, A slowly grasped the situation at hand and clenches his fist.

The Mind Worker in charge of the Imaginary Boyfriend Generator is ready to make Imaginary Boyfriends that resemble Felix from Marinette’s school.

He wants to protest, to declare how unfair the easy creation and disposal of figments like him is. But then he realizes he's the only one radical enough to have these thoughts and feelings.

_Imaginary Boyfriends aren’t supposed to feel, A. Stop fooling yourself._

A wonders how things could have gone if he isn’t the way he is now. Why, he asks, is he made to have more conscientiousness, more ideas, and more feelings than the rest? Why isn’t he a drone like them, who won't care if it’s their time to enter the dark and cold chasm for those fated to be forgotten? Why?

And he remembers.

Marinette.

Within the span of a month, A learns more about Marinette than the rest can ever have. He hears her laugh and sees her smile, watches her quirks and admires her talents. He meets the people she loves and fumes at those who treat her with spite. He roots for her rise and wishes to catch her when she falls.

He knows Marinette the human, not Marinette the deity of their existence, and knows how beautiful the feeling is to love a beautiful girl like her.

How can he abandon the feelings that are born in him?

_“The first test is for us to say we would die for Marinette. Tikki… I never said it. I couldn’t. My first thought was Marinette... her name and her face. And my second was… if only I could live for her.”_

_“A… there’s a reason why you have those feelings, okay? Don’t feel ashamed. I believe that you have a greater purpose over all the Imaginary Boyfriends.”_

“Wait!”

A’s eyes quickly dart to the source of the yell and exhales in relief, his squared shoulders slowly relaxing.

Tikki is flying as fast as she can towards his direction, beams of red tailing her trail. She crashes onto his chest, the impact overwhelming the boy. He falls on his back and feels Tikki’s little arms on his torso to give him a hug. A’s hands slowly cradles Tikki’s figure and brings her close to his face, nuzzling the little kwami.

“You looked for me,” he cries.

Tikki pats his cheek lightly. “Of course I did, A.”

The kwami’s eyes immediately squint, glancing at every direction and suddenly speeds towards the Mind Worker at the machine.

“Are you trying to throw my companion in the Memory Dump?” she scolds, poking her little hand at the worker’s chest.

“Companion?”

“Yes, companion! You see him accompany me always, don’t you?” she adds venomously. “I demand you remove him from this line at once.”

The Mind Worker groans and leads Tikki back to A. “You’re free to go, kid.”

Tikki huffs as A walks behind her. “Let’s go, A.”

The kwami turns her back away from the Mind Worker and floats away, but A takes one last look at the other Imaginary Boyfriends, unshaken by the scenario that unfolded in front of them earlier.

“Remember this, boy,” the Mind Worker suddenly says in a soft, low voice. “You may have gotten off the hook now, but the fate of all Imaginary Boyfriends is to fall in that dark pit. I’m not scaring you – I’m telling you the truth.”

A’s skin shivers, feeling a simulated sensation of what real people call goosebumps, as he backs away, shaking his head. He isn’t aware that Tikki has heard everything, and isn’t expecting her to fly towards the worker.

“Watch your tone,” she warns. “Just because you have control over that generator doesn’t mean you’re better than the other workers. The one working the machine before you came was way more skilled and complained less. Fix your attitude.”

She grabs A by his sweater’s collar and drags him away.

* * *

 

The next day, he overhears several Mind Workers exchanging gossip once again. He creeps away from Tikki sleeping on a shelf and presses his ear against another.

Apparently, Tikki has so much influence in Marinette’s Imagination Land that the bean-shaped Mind Worker is replaced by one of their more hardworking and kinder co-workers. He has arranged to fix the Imaginary Boyfriend Generator upon hearing the complaints filed by the bean-shaped worker.

Despite the repairs, the prodution of Imaginary Boyfriends that look like Felix, unfortunately, will still commence.

He resigns himself back to guarding Tikki and watches a group of memory orbs be delivered to the shelf, most of which are blue in color. His eyes widen while he walks towards the delivered orbs from last night. They are all parts of Marinette’s chat with Juleka the night before, and A can see what has made Marinette feel upset.

A text message from Juleka reads: _Hi, Marinette. Thank you for listening to me this morning. If only I could stay longer here in Marseille for a proper goodbye. I promise to visit you soon, okay? And I’ll say hello to Alya when we finally meet in Paris._

Marinette’s hands are trembling in the memory as she tries to text back.

Juleka is transferring to Paris on such short notice that even saying goodbye to her best friend isn’t done right.

A feels his chest tighten. He hugs the memory orb, wishing he can hug and comfort Marinette right now.


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A watches the development of Marinette's crush on Felix.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the late update! My excuse is valid: SCHOOL @_@
> 
> Thank you so so so so soooooo much to the people who commented and left kudos! :D You guys really made my day! I hope you guys enjoy this next chapter and I'll try my best to update ASAP again.

_[From: Juleka – 10:23 AM]_

_Hey Marinette :) how are you today? Alya, Rose, and I will have our early lunch because our teacher called in sick. Text me when it’s lunch time there! Alya and Rose send hugs :)_

_[To: Juleka – 11:34 AM]_

_Juleka!!! Thank you for texting me! I’m in line to get lunch now. I saw your picture with Rose. She’s really cute ^o^ hugs hugs hugs to you three!_

_Marinette slipped her phone back into her pocket after sending the message, sighing at the bittersweet position she was in. She missed Juleka so much it really hurt, but she did her best to bombard negative thoughts away with positivity. Juleka’s grandmother needed her best friend and her family, after all. She did her best to support Juleka and show her everything would be alright, but Juleka worried about Marinette’s feelings more than her own._

_“Are you sure you’re fine?” Juleka had asked her in their first video call as friends in separate cities. Marinette always replied she was ‘as dandy as a dandelion’, unaware that Juleka felt even more uneasy. “Even the fluffiest dandelions lose their seeds to the wind,” she mumbled to herself sadly in a tone so soft Marinette couldn’t hear._

_At least, Marinette thought, Juleka and Alya had finally met. At least Juleka reunited with Rose, her childhood best friend with baby blue eyes and a petite stature. Marinette immediately asked for a picture when Alya texted her that they spent their Saturday together catching up and felt her heart squeeze in delight and nostalgia at the same time. Juleka, who now had started dyeing her hair with shades of violet and blue, was at the center with her face partly covered by Rose’s blonde head. Alya, who took the picture, was the closest to the camera._

_Marinette felt touched when Rose started chatting with her as well. The girl was a ball of sunshine and rainbows which could rival hers. Marinette wondered if Juleka was worried that she would think she was being replaced, but she knew better than indulging herself in sad and untrue thoughts._

_She didn’t realize she was spacing out in the cafeteria line until the person behind her shoved their tray against her back, pushing the girl forward. Marinette sent a glare at the person before stomping ahead to make her order. It was unfortunate that she had forgotten her lunch bag that morning, and she didn’t want her parents to trouble themselves by bringing it to her since her house was far from her school. “Just eat them for me, Mama. I’ll be fine, I’ll just buy lunch here in school,” she had said in a reassuring voice._

_After paying the lunch lady for her food, Marinette slowly walked away from the cafeteria line, eyeing down the hall for any free seats. Since Juleka transferred, maybe she could try eating with her other classmates? Most of them were really nice, but they were too outspoken and very much into things Marinette and Juleka weren’t, such as over-the-top supernatural romance novels and five-membered boybands with better back-up dancers. Juleka would have a field day if their other female classmates started swooning about vampires that burned in the sunlight, not sparkled like disco balls. Marinette, on the other hand, didn’t like it when they imposed their opinions as though they knew everything._

_The girl took another step, not noticing the spilt yoghurt beneath her feet, and slid forward with a horrified expression. A scream almost boomed from her throat, but she ended up bumping someone and leaning backwards. The person quickly grabbed one of her arms and the tray she held._

_It was Felix._

* * *

 

“What makes this guy so great anyway?” A mumbles to himself. Thankfully, Tikki is busy roving around at the higher shelves, searching for more memory orbs of Marinette’s previous day. He wonders if Tikki is aware of his growing disdain towards this character.

“All this guy is good for is bumping Marinette,” he adds in an angry thought. “And why does Marinette like him? He doesn’t smile at her.”

A knows his anger towards Felix stems from many reasons, but what takes the cake is Felix’s very neutral expressions towards Marinette. His girl deserves a smile! Does Felix find it annoying that his encounters with Marinette involve painfully crashing at one another? A finds it an honor to just experience a glance from her, let alone bumping shoulders with her.

“Why,” A thinks, “did Felix offer her a seat in the cafeteria even though they barely knew each other?” He doesn’t think it’s out of compassion, because the boy could at least show Marinette a smile. But maybe, deep inside, Felix does want to get to know her? A can’t possibly think of another reason even though this one makes him flinch.

Or maybe, he can and already has, but he dismisses the thought. He may dislike Felix, but he doesn't want to believe that Felix graced Marinette with his company during lunch out of pity. Felix must be a person who won't do that... right?

* * *

 

_“U-um, n-nice to s-see you here, F-Felix!” Marinette exclaimed. The taller boy’s eyes narrowed._

_“We’re in a library,” he replied in a hushed tone. Marinette’s cheeks pinked out of embarrassment and awe. His voice was cool and deep._

_“O-oh, sorry,” she whispered back. Felix gave her a nod and resumed searching for a book._

_Marinette crept to the bookshelf behind her and snuck looks at Felix from the spaces between checked-out books, trying to keep her breathing soft and steady. “Does he go here every day?” she thought._

_\--_

_The girl feigned reaching out for a book from the bookshelf across the one where she encountered Felix yesterday. Right on cue, the boy stiffly walked towards the said bookshelf and dropped his messenger bag. His height allowed him to quickly reach a book at the topmost shelf._

_Her stomach lurched. Was she so short that he didn’t notice her?_

_She turned around and saw his back faced towards her as he skimmed through what seemed to be a literature book. Her hand slowly moved towards his shoulder, but her fingers started shaking before she could touch it. She flinches her hand away, but the boy spun around and blinked, much to her surprise._

_She wanted to scold herself for her cowardice and her dimwitted actions. Of course Felix would feel her hand reaching to touch him!_

_“Do you need anything?” he asked in a bored tone. Marinette nodded rabidly._

_“I-I was wondering i-if you could help me r-reach th-that book up there,” she answered softly. Felix exhaled and took one large step, fixing his posture in front of the bookshelf._

_“What book?” he asked._

_Marinette’s jaw dropped. She had no idea what book to answer._

_Felix’s foot started tapping._

_“That one,” she replied immediately, pointing at a book with a silver and violet spine. The boy reached for it without moving his feet. He stared at the book, which Marinette didn’t mind, because it gave her more time to stare at him. The golden color of his neatly combed hair was more vivid up close._

_“Butterfly Mythology, huh? I read this before. It’s quite fascinating,” he said as the book slipped from his to Marinette’s fingers._

_For the first time since they first met, Marinette sees a curl on Felix’s lips._

* * *

To forget everything he has seen the previous day, A asks Tikki if she wants to roam around Imagination Land. Somewhere away from Fashion Field, if possible. She complies, excited to spend more time with A doing a different activity.

“We should visit Cotton Candy Castle,” Tikki sighs. A grins when she does a backflip. “Or Cloud City! I love-love-love Cloud City! Have you ever wanted to fly, A?”

“Of course,” A snorts. “You always make me jealous when you do loop-de-loops like it’s nothing.”

Tikki brushes his comment off with her arm and with a laugh. “It’s hard mastering loop-de-loops, little one. Although it helps me out of tight situations.”

“How is Cloud City related to all this?” A asks with a smirk.

The kwami shoots herself towards A’s head and rests herself in his cornflour hair. “You’ll be able to float too, silly! But if you’re too weak-willed, you won’t be able to stay on the cloud for five seconds.”

“I can bet I can stay on a cloud for an hour,” A declares, chuckling. Tikki gives him a small noogie.

“I never said you couldn’t,” Tikki laughs. “But I wonder, how are you planning to get down when you’re too high up?”

A doesn’t dwell on the question, knowing that he needs time in the clouds. It doesn’t matter if he floats away for a while. He needs time away from the hustle of Imagination Land. Away from buzzing Mind Workers yelling at Felix imitates for their shoddy performance in making daydreams, away from Marinette’s new memories of Felix…

Away from anything related to Felix, because the boy has more than what he has.

A human life and Marinette’s affections.

No matter how much he wishes for Felix to disappear from Marinette’s life, it pains him to accept that his wish will beget Marinette’s pain and, even worse, that his wish will never come true.

* * *

 

_[From: Juleka – 5:21 PM]_

_I’m so glad to hear your stories, Marinette! :) But please be careful, okay? If our classmates find out about you liking Felix… you know what could happen. If only I could be there with you. :(_

_[To: Juleka – 5:22 PM]_

_Don’t worry! I’m doing my best to keep my feelings low profile :D I don’t even know if Felix would like me back so I really have to keep my mouth shut! Even Lila won’t be able to find out ^o^_

_[From: Juleka – 5:23 PM]_

_You have a point. That girl snoops really fast, and she still doesn’t know you like Felix even after a whole month! If you want, we can call each other tomorrow since it’ll be Saturday :) I’ve only heard stories about Felix, since he’s so mysterious and all_

_[To: Juleka – 5:25 PM]_

_HE REALLY IS!!! And I may sound like those cliché girls in movies but… it’s what makes him more attractive ^w^ I’m so lucky I got to see him smile!!! And I’m the Mayor of Bad Luck City, so that’s saying something!_

_[From: Juleka – 5:26 PM]_

_You aren’t the mayor of bad luck city, okay? We all just have our bad days :) Talk to you tomorrow, Mom’s calling me :) Don’t stalk too hard now!_

_[To: Juleka – 5:27 PM]_

_Okay! ^.^ and I don’t stalk!!!!!_


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Marinette begins to feel the teenage drama brought about by being thirteen years old.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is quite a chapter.
> 
> No spoilers, go read now. XD Thank you to everyone who left kudos and comments and to those who read! :D I hope you guys stay tuned for the next chapters! I promise it will have more A in it (you'll find out why HAHAHA)
> 
> Also I edited the previous chapters :) Just some minor changes, mostly grammar because I usually write when I'm sleepy XD
> 
> Another note: This is an AU. So if you guys are wondering why a certain character (you'll find out who if you read XD) is in a certain situation, then refer to the previous sentence. Capisce?

Carrying the most recent memory orb from Headquarters, A chuckles as he watches Marinette trot back and forth in a line, arms waving hysterically, as she explains to Alya in a video chat why her thirteenth birthday is going to be the worst day of her life.

_“First of all, I’m going to be a teenager now. Teen. Ager. I’m going to be old!” she screeched, staring daggers at the calendar at her far right. Alya’s scoff was clearly heard from the computer’s speakers._

_“Girl, I’m already thirteen. You looking for a fight?”_

_Marinette’s eyes grew as large as dinner plates as she leapt backwards, almost hitting her vanity table. “O-oh… right! W-well, you don’t look thirteen–“_

_“Marinette, seriously stop trying to fool me.”_

_“–so yeah! You’re not old!”_

_Alya’s eyes softened. “Girl, get to the point. I doubt that’s the only reason you’re so worked up. Didn’t you get Felix to attend your birthday party?”_

_Marinette groaned. “Y-yeah… and it’s weird because the only people I invited are him, Juleka, and Rose!”_

_“How about your other classmates?”_

_“My birthday’s on Friday the 13 th! This is why I’m panicking!” Marinette screamed, clutching on her pigtails. _

_Alya’s hand rested on her forehead. “Girl, please calm yourself. Why not invite your other classmates? It’d be less suspicious for him. And I didn’t know you took superstitions to heart.”_

_“I… have really bad luck, okay? And I didn’t invite my other classmates because of Juleka. She doesn’t want people knowing she’s visiting,” she explained as she sat down in front of her computer._

_“Ohh…” Alya hummed. “I see. She did tell me how she preferred our classmates than yours. She even enjoys the company of Kim, our resident loud athlete. Some of your school athletes are obnoxious.”_

_Marinette’s eyes move upwards. “Uh… well, yeah, I guess. I think it’s because of school pride.”_

_“But still, don’t you have other friends to invite?” Alya added._

_The girl swiveled her computer chair. “Most of my friends in school are on vacation. Either in Paris or in another country.”_

_Alya sighed in defeat. “Well, it’s July. Can’t blame them. I’m surprised you got to invite Felix. How did it go? You haven’t told me how he said yes!”_

_“…he just said he’ll think about it. He hasn’t confirmed yet exactly…” she replied, twiddling her thumbs. “Which is why I’m scared because Friday the 13 th! There’s a chance he won’t go! But if he does, what if he’s weirded out because I only invited three people?”_

_“Don’t overthink,” Alya answered with a pout. “Superstitions are just beliefs. Your birthday party will be awesome.”_

Days later, after A and Tikki celebrate Marinette’s birthday with the entire crew of Mind Workers and Daydream Figments (and, much to his displeasure, the Felix Imaginary Boyfriends), he finds out that Felix had not turned up in her party. Although Marinette’s memory orbs of the party itself were glistening gold, one blue orb stands out upon the memory orb delivery.

_[From: Felix – 8:42 PM]_

_Happy Birthday, Marinette. I hope your birthday party was pleasant. I’m sorry I wasn’t able to attend. Maybe next year, okay?_

“The least he could do is sound more apologetic,” A snarls.

* * *

 

_“I’ve been dying to watch Jagged Stone live, guys! I can’t believe he’s coming here, to Marseille!” Marinette flailed. She danced in her seat while Alya, Juleka, and Rose (who were having a slumber party) watched her with the same mirth Marinette felt. They too were fans of the hottest Parisian rock ‘n’ roll star._

_“We watched him last week live,” Juleka said in a voice audible enough to be heard amidst Marinette’s cheers. “He was fantastic.”_

_“I love his little love song number,” Rose sighed. “It’s more beautiful live since it’s mellower than the studio version. It reminds me so much of Prince Ali… maybe he wrote it because of him…”_

_Marinette raised a brow and grinned. “Is this the Prince Ali that held a charity for feeding the hungry children and raising vaccine awareness?”_

_Rose nodded eagerly._

_“YOU KNOW HIM?” Marinette’s eyes bulged. Juleka and Alya giggled while Rose shied away from the camera._

_“He was supposed to visit Paris last week and be in the Jagged Stone concert because he said he’s a fan,” Alya began. “But something came up, not sure what it is. Prince Ali said he’d love to meet people who look up to his work, which is why our darling Rose can’t get him off her mind.”_

_“Blame Jagged Stone’s song,” Rose replied, still in a dreamy trance. “It’s enough for two strangers to fall in love.”_

_While Juleka cringed and Alya snorted, the cogs in Marinette’s mind quickly planted a lightbulb-worthy idea. “W-what if I ask Felix to the concert? He likes Jagged Stone! I asked him before…”_

_“Maybe you should! He owes you, after all!” Rose exclaimed, clapping her hands together. “After saying he’d go to your party and then not showing up? He MUST go with you!”_

_“Rose, I–“_

_“Juleka, he should!” Rose interrupted. Juleka shrank from the video as Rose gleefully encouraged Marinette’s idea._

A notices the worried looks shared by Juleka and Alya despite their blurred faces in the memory, speculating whether Marinette did or did not notice because of her focus on Rose and her wishes to be with Felix.

He bites his tongue to stop himself from asking Tikki about Jagged Stone and about her opinion on Felix. Even he questions why he’s this scared, knowing that Tikki is already aware of his distrust towards the human boy.

But he needs to be transparent with her.

“Tikki… I’m scared,” he exhales, still burdened despite his honesty. The kwami faces him with fear etched on her face.

“Me too, A,” she answers, her big blue eyes shut. “I have a bad feeling about this.”

A wants to ask if she’s afraid for his sake, if she’s also afraid that Felix may fall for Marinette if what Rose said was true. But what if…

_What if Tikki was afraid of something else?_

A can’t muster the courage to ask, fearing that it can be worse than what he could imagine.

* * *

 

_[From: Juleka – 4:24 PM]_

_Marinette, take slow, deep breaths._

_[To: Juleka – 4:25 PM]_

_I’m scared, Juleka. I’m really scared. it’s my fault for being so clumsy!!!!!!!!!!!!!!_

_[From: Juleka – 4:25 PM]_

_No, Marinette! It’s not your fault! I’m pretty sure Lila snooped when she found your sketchbook!_

_[To: Juleka – 4:26 PM]_

_but it’s my fault for dropping my sketchbook_

_[From: Juleka – 4:27 PM]_

_Stop blaming yourself, Marinette. Please. :( Lila had the choice to keep her big mouth shut but she didn’t. And everyone in our grade knows she loves spreading rumors. And she shouldn’t look in your sketchpad in the first place! It has your name on it so she doesn’t have to look in to find out who owns it!_

_[To: Juleka – 4:27 PM]_

_but what if Felix starts avoiding me????? I was doing so well in keeping my feelings a secret too!_

_[From: Juleka – 4:28 PM]_

_I don’t think he’s that kind of guy, Marinette. Let me tell you this. Before I was moved to your section, I was classmates with him, remember? He’s a very cold guy. Sometimes he doesn’t acknowledge people talking to him. But he acknowledges you._

_[To: Juleka – 4:28 PM]_

_but what if people tease him about it? he’ll avoid me for sure!!!!!!!! </////////3_

_[From: Juleka – 4:29 PM]_

_He won’t. But if he does, then that means he isn’t any better than the rest of your classmates. Don’t beat yourself up about this :( We’ll call you after 10 minutes._

_[To: Juleka – 4:30 PM]_

_okay </3 thank you so much for being here for me :( I'm sorry for being too overdramatic... this happening is so scary..._

_[From: Juleka – 4:30 PM]_

_Oh Mari :( if I could only be there personally for you :( I’m so sorry…_

_[From: Alya – 4:33 PM]_

_JULEKA TOLD ME WHAT HAPPENED. I’M GOING TO HUNT THIS LILA GIRL DOWN!_

_And please don’t blame yourself. Stay calm, Marinette! WE’RE GOING TO TALK AFTER A FEW MINUTES AND YOU’LL BE HEARING THE BEST PEP TALK OF YOUR LIFE FROM ME_

_[From: Rose – 4:36 PM]_

_Hang in there, Marinette :( Alya, Juleka, and I wish we could hug you for real right now!!!_


	6. Chapter 6

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A sees red and blue. He wishes he sees yellow instead.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey, guys! I'm super sorry for the late update! Had to do well this semester, and I'm glad it's done. 
> 
> Anyway, thank you to everyone who read, left kudos, and left comments! I'm thankful you guys are sticking to this fic. It's one of my better ideas in my recent years of writing fanfics.
> 
> Now read away! This chapter is the calm before the storm. The action begins in the next chapter! :D

_Marinette’s entrance in her classroom went unnoticed with thanks to the loud chatters from her classmates. She crept to her seat and buried her face in her arms on her desk. Her eyes were red and puffy after an entire night of tears. Uncertainty loomed over her ever since Lila confronted her with a fake smile that reminded her of sickly sweet candy that made people heave. Normally, Juleka would pull Marinette away whenever the girl is within a five foot radius from their position, leaving Marinette’s impression of Lila supplemented by gossips and rumors. It confused her why Lila was both worshipped and hated, at such a young age, no less!_

_“I took the liberty of confessing for you,” Lila had told her yesterday, tapping her chin with an orange, manicured fingernail._

_Marinette had gulped, holding back the impulse to jump or yell in horror, and exhaled after a deep breath. “What are you talking about?”_

_The girl rolled her eyes, shocking Marinette even more. None of her classmates showed a hostile side such as this. “You don’t need to pretend.” She had the gall to scold Marinette. But her frown transformed into that sickly smile again. “You like Felix.”_

_“You shouldn’t invade other people’s privacy,” Marinette had answered, trying to keep her tone composed. She had felt her voice tremble, and surely, Lila heard it too._

_“I wasn’t invading anything,” the girl had scoffed. “And besides, everyone will support you on your plans to win Felix’s heart.”_

_No wonder Juleka disliked her so much._

_Marinette tried to doze off before the teacher arrives, still exhausted from overthinking. She did arrive earlier than usual, much to her disappointment, because she wanted to face her classmates less now._

_The class became noisier every passing second, however. Marinette’s tiredness wasn’t enough._

_A hand landed on her shoulder and slowly shook her fatigued figure. Grunting, she raised her head, ninety nine percent sure that person was Lila._

_“Marinette?”_

_Luck spared her with that one percent of uncertainty._

_Aurore Beauréal, the pretty president of their class, was staring at her with bright aquamarine eyes. Marinette admired her from afar because she was charming and beautiful, levelheaded at most times, and had fantastic fashion sense._

_Marinette could only grumble in reply, feeling too down to even speak. Aurore only nodded and sat on the empty chair in front of her._

_“I want to make sure you’re okay, since you’ve been quiet ever since Juleka left.”_

_Marinette’s eyes shifted to her lap just in case more tears decide to fall. Aurore’s eyes were filled with concern._

_“And I heard about what… what Lila did yesterday. Adeline saw her take your sketchbook when you forgot it in the room instead of returning it to you. She reported it to Miss Fabre since she thought she was stealing it,” she reported. Marinette wondered why she didn’t feel soothed by these words._

_Aurore must have noticed._

* * *

A and Tikki remain silent after watching Marinette’s memories from the past few days. The imaginary boy holds lots of gratitude for the people supporting her, especially Aurore, who is a newcomer in his eyes. All he has learned about Aurore prior to this incident is that she transferred to Marinette’s school a year ago and won over many people because of her charms. This, however, masks the fact that she transferred because of a conflict with another girl in her old school because of some school news anchor gig, as he recalls what Juleka has told Marinette when Aurore first arrived.

Alya, Juleka, and Rose have been keeping tabs on Marinette, sending her more text messages than usual. It’s safe to say that they really help Marinette break away from her wish to just fall asleep. Aurore keeps Marinette company, helping her in schoolwork knowing that Marinette is very distracted.

It can’t be helped – Aurore has seen how Felix is taking the whole ordeal.

Marinette usually asks Felix if she can join him during lunch in the cafeteria when she buys food, and Felix nonchalantly allows her to. But the last time Marinette tried to join him, Felix gave no acknowledgement. He didn’t leave when Marinette sat… immediately. He usually waits for her to finish before leaving, occupying his time by reading a textbook or answering homework in advance. The previous day, however, he left while Marinette was halfway through her meal, leaving the girl in a brink of tears when she realized how their routine had shattered.

Aurore quickly comes to her aid after seeing what happened. She joins Marinette for lunch and urges her to eat more sweets to ease her nerves. A wonders if Aurore knows that Marinette’s parents bake pastries for a living.

Thankfully, that Lila girl is given a good scolding by their homeroom teacher. At least, that’s what Aurore has said. The blonde eagerly notes to herself that classroom rules are the new way to prevent socially malicious deeds. _Being noisy or leaving the classroom dirty are only minor offenses compared to the damage one can do to another’s feelings_ , Aurore has said.

Of course, the teacher only knows of how Lila decided to invade Marinette’s privacy through an act that was reported as stealing. Marinette doesn’t want more people to find out about how she feels about Felix. It is cleared up that her sketchpad wasn’t stolen, but the teacher is disappointed that it took Lila a day before returning it even though their classrooms were just across each other.

A very red orb recently has emerged due to this. Marinette is more thankful that Aurore is kind to her, but a part of her wishes something worse will happen to the Lila. Scolding won’t do anything to someone who loves toying with people’s feelings. She thinks of suspension or expulsion, but of course the school won’t do anything to a child of a renowned diplomat, no matter how foul her attitude is.

As A returns the memory orbs to their designated places in Long Term Memory (“We're allowed to use the construction lift now,” Tikki notes in a neutral tone), he realizes how much he misses the cascade of golden memory orbs every morning.

* * *

Felix continues tolerating Marinette, but the girl notices the changes in their interactions.

A watches miserably through blue-hued orbs.

How Felix leaves even earlier than before when Marinette eats in the cafeteria until he finally stops showing up.

How Felix slowly turns around when he spots Marinette in the hallway.

How Felix walks to another aisle in the library when he hears Aurore's voice, knowing she's with Marinette.

How Felix’s eyes never meet hers anymore.

A doesn’t understand why he keeps watching these memories, knowing that they only show the pain that he wishes Marinette never felt. He draws the line when he spots a blue orb with Marinette’s room as the backdrop, echoing tears even before he touches it. Tikki can’t even bear to look at them.

He winces when he sees memories of Marinette faking a smile to her parents, skipping a message from her best friends, staying silent even though Aurore tries her best to cheer Marinette up.

Why is her happiness so dependent on Felix now? Why him? Why that ingrate?

For the first time in his “life”, A curses himself for being useless in helping Marinette.

* * *

_[From: Juleka – 8:19 PM]_

_Are you sure you want to do it, Marinette? You might get hurt even more. :( Please spare your feelings._

_[To: Juleka – 8:21 PM]_

_I know… but I want to move on. I think this is the only way I can move on._

_[From: Juleka – 8:22 PM]_

_You can always move on without doing it, Marinette. :( I don’t want you to get hurt even more._

_[To: Juleka – 8:23 PM]_

_Thank you for caring about me, Juleka. I’ll think about it._

_[From: Juleka – 8:24 PM]_

_Please do, Marinette._


	7. Chapter 7

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A finally meets the forerunners of Marinette's emotions.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello friends! Thank you for reading, leaving kudos, and comments! :'D I'm really thankful, you guys!!! And to those who commented about Aurore, I really wanted to emphasize several minor characters in this story, and I'm glad you guys like that I chose Aurore! It's a shame she only appears in at least two episodes. She isn't really fleshed out as a character or written about in most fanfics either, so I decided to give it a shot. 
> 
> Also, fellas, rejection hurts and some of us try to keep a brave front until we're alone (speaking from experience here). Why am I saying this? You'll understand when you read the chapter!

_“F-Felix, I like you.”_

_It wasn’t a “heat of the moment” confession._

_Marinette’s eyes were focused on her white sandals and the park’s concrete floor, head bowing low enough to hide even the shoes Felix wore from her vision. Her chest was aching, heart throbbing underneath from the sheer anxiety she felt for pushing through with this confrontation. She kept repeating, “You need this, Marinette,” internally even though the back of her mind berated her that this wouldn’t end well at all._

_Marinette didn’t expect things to turn out well in the first place._

_The silence between them was deafening. Her mind was spinning, thoughts fighting themselves to avoid foreshadowing what would happen next. All she wanted was to tell him her feelings. Straight from her - the source of every feeling and the cause of the strain in between them. She wanted… she wanted to show that despite how things turned out, Marinette stayed true to her feelings, and she wouldn’t run away just because another person meddled._

_“Marinette.”_

_Her head slowly raised, and her eyes met Felix’s._

_Still. Sharp. Icy._

_A blend of gray and blue._

_But not the same way as they first met._

_The boy slowly exhaled, and it was his turn to glance at his feet. Marinette could see him bite the bottom of his lip, his posture becoming stiffer. He released another exhale._

_“I knew before that girl told me,” Felix answered, face surprisingly flushed red._

_Marinette’s cheeks did no different, heating up into an uncomfortable kind of warmth, like getting scorched from ironing or dealing with sunburn._

_His eyes still remained on the ground. “You’re a nice person, Marinette. I appreciated your company. You tried. I’m… I’m not blind to your efforts.”_

_Marinette placed a hand over her chest, right where the thump-thump-thumps of her heart were concentrated underneath. She didn’t know it was possible for her heart to race this fast._

_“…it’s just…”_

_Felix finally looked at her. “I’m sorry. I don’t… feel the same way.”_

_She sighed after holding her breath for so long, releasing the pent-up terrors of waiting for his answer along with it._

_Marinette knew he didn’t feel the same way._

_But it didn’t mean she still didn’t feel hurt._

_“I-I know,” she answered in a trembling voice. Felix’s eyes widened, and Marinette forced a smile. “D-don’t worry about i-it.”_

_She was answering in broken hiccups, her eyes slowly being covered by dampness. “B-but tha-thank you… f-for n-not push-pushing me away…”_

_Felix stayed silent, shocked at what was unfolding in front of him. His lips were parted, eyebrows slightly – and only very slightly – creased, and his body still stiff._

_“M…Marinette.”_

_His voice was still firm._

_“W-will I still s-see you around?” she whispered._

_Her eyes were too filled with tears to see whether he nodded or not._

_“G-good bye,” she said, panicking at the blurriness of her vision and the bleariness of sounds around her. Her legs started moving, feet picking up the pace, and she rushed back home with tears crawling down her cheeks. They pitter pattered onto the ground, staining large circles on the pavement below her, and she chokes back a sob as she opened her house door._

_She climbed the steps leading to her room before shutting it completely with a tight lock. Marinette placed her forehead on the door and turned, slowly slipping down until she could hug her knees. More tears fell and stained her clothes as she opened her crossbody bag, taking out two pieces of paper._

_Tickets. For Jagged Stone’s concert._

_She bought them just in case… Felix liked her too._

_Even at the very end, even though Marinette knew very well that Felix would reject her, she still held on to the hope that maybe… just maybe, she would be given a chance. At least a chance._

_She bit her lip, throwing the tickets across the room, and hugged her knees even closer. For the first time in this day, she allowed herself to bawl, to yell and shriek and sob. She raised her head to meet the sturdy back of the door, letting the tears scorch trails on her cheeks as she cries with a piercing sob. It took so much courage for Marinette to buy those tickets and give a confession._

_She didn’t know what she regretted more – not having the discipline to follow Juleka’s words or not having the courage to ask Felix for a chance._

* * *

It has taken A so much restraint to hold himself back from plunging the memory orb to the ground. His hands are gripping the blue orb so tightly that it stings, and he wishes it cracks under his hold even though it’s pointless.

A had felt something went wrong when the skies had turned dark. The giant clock in Imagination Land had read 1:43 PM, and A knew very well that Marinette didn’t take afternoon naps on Saturdays. He had noticed one blue orb roll down from headquarters, different from the usual string of colors.

He doesn’t understand.

A knows he will never understand. He isn’t human. He isn’t complex.

But why? Why does Marinette have to go through this? Why does love make Marinette grieve for pain in strangled cries? Isn’t love supposed to make her heart bubble in joy?

What is the love he has seen in her memories if this love gives her pain?

Why had it been easy for Felix to reject her? Why had his voice sounded so plain? Was he hiding remorse? Or was he just that emotionless?

A glares at the orb, still restraining himself from tossing it away. He doesn’t know what to do anymore. He doesn’t want to bother a sleeping Tikki about it either.

What if he throws it away in the Memory Dump? But he reconsiders – what if Marinette decides to do it again?

If only Marinette’s memories of Felix aren’t linked with her memories of other people, A would dispose of them all. They are a year’s worth of memories, after all. He doesn’t want to cause a mass ruckus of “sudden” memory loss.

A decides to walk towards a shelf in Long Term Memory, but stops. Unusual distant sounds start ringing in his ears. He focuses on the sounds until they get clearer. Louder.

They are screams.

He turns around and spots glowing strings of gold and blue rush through the memory orb dispenser from headquarters. He rushes to the landing point, memory orb at hand, and gets a clearer view and earshot of what are causing the screams.

The glowing strings fall inside a fabric bin perched below the dispenser before A reaches it. He takes a peek in the bin… and drops the memory orb, allowing it to roll inches away from him.

Inside the bin…

Inside… the bin…

“That really hurts!”

“J-Joy, w-what do we do?”

A, baffled, backs away from the bin as the two figures stand up to dust themselves. The blue figure looks at him first with sad eyes. His face looks thin, skin pale but coated in a soft, azure glow. His hair stands out all the more - fiery, long and straight.

And the figure glowing gold…

Joy…

She looks so much like Rose.

* * *

_Marinette woke up hours later with a heavy heart, an aching body, and a phone bombarded with missed calls and messages from many people._

_Not one message came from Felix._

_She didn't feel anything anymore._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Big note: I know you some of you guys are going to flame Felix a lot, but hear me out. 
> 
> There are guys who don't know how to respond to confessions and are so emotionally constipated they don't know how to handle situations such as what was written. I'm not trying to defend Felix, but I just wanted to say I'm trying to depict a boy who has no malicious intent in hurting a girl who likes him. Think Byakuya Togami whose ego isn't bloated to the size of the sun. I'm not saying Felix didn't do anything wrong, however.
> 
> Thank you very much for reading this chapter :) the fun begins here!
> 
> (Questions about Joy's and Sadness's appearances will be answered next time. Also yes, Sadness looks like Nathanael HAHAHA XD)

**Author's Note:**

> 1\. In this AU, I think Imaginary Boyfriends are created for the purpose of making daydreams. Daydreams are produced in Imagination Land by Mind Workers. Multiple Imaginary Boyfriends mean multiple daydreams. Daydreams are also produced similarly with dreams, except that daydreams are stuffed into memory balls that can be projected by the emotions in Headquarters.  
> 2\. Imaginary Boyfriends (at least, in this fic) are aware of their job. They are aware of who Marinette is and knows some things about her and how the mechanics in her mind work. They aren't aware of everything, though (e.g. A knows what a daydream is and that they are produced for Marinette, but does not know how exactly they are made). Normally, they also don't project emotions.  
> 3\. Imaginary Boyfriends are disposed according to their usability or defectiveness. They also change appearances whenever the Mind Worker in charge of the Imaginary Boyfriend Generator is notified about Marinette having a crush or something.  
> 4\. The test for functional Imaginary Boyfriends is their declaration of, "I would die for Marinette!" Other functional ones who don't do this are still allowed stay as long as they can do their jobs in producing daydreams.  
> 5\. A is special in more ways than one. 'nuf sed.  
> 6\. Marinette lives in Marseille, another city in France, for story-driven purposes.  
> 7\. Marinette's father works at another bakery while Marinette's mother works in a clothing store.
> 
> Thanks for reading! :)


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